Golf club face plate having correlated characteristic time measurement map

Abstract

A variable thickness face plate for a golf club head includes a peripheral edge having an upper peripheral edge and a lower peripheral edge, and a plurality of regions of constant thickness defined by an internal surface of the face plate. The plurality of regions of constant thickness include a first subset of regions of constant thickness being disposed along a first horizontally-extending path proximate the upper peripheral edge, the first horizontally-extending path being disposed radially inward from and parallel to the upper peripheral edge, and a second subset of regions of constant thickness being disposed along a second horizontally-extending path proximate the lower peripheral edge, the second horizontally-extending path being disposed radially inward from and parallel to the lower peripheral edge.

We claim: 
     
       1. A variable thickness face plate for a golf club head, the face plate including a longitudinal axis extending between a toe side and a heel side along a longest length of the face plate, the longitudinal axis dividing the face plate into an upper region and a lower region, the face plate comprising:
 a peripheral edge including an upper peripheral edge and a lower peripheral edge, the upper peripheral edge and the lower peripheral edge being separated by the longitudinal axis, wherein the upper peripheral edge is configured to be adjacent a top of the golf club head when the face plate is installed, and wherein the lower peripheral edge is configured to be adjacent a sole of the golf club head when the face plate is installed; and 
 a plurality of regions of generally constant thickness extending away from an internal surface of the face plate, the thickness being measured perpendicularly from the internal surface of the face plate, the plurality of regions of generally constant thickness including:
 a first subset of regions of generally constant thickness being disposed along a first generally horizontally-extending path proximate the upper peripheral edge, the first generally horizontally-extending path being disposed radially inward from and parallel to the upper peripheral edge; and 
 a second subset of regions of generally constant thickness being disposed along a second generally horizontally-extending path proximate the lower peripheral edge, the second generally horizontally-extending path being disposed radially inward from and parallel to the lower peripheral edge, 
 
 wherein each of the plurality of regions of generally constant thickness is enclosed by a boundary edge extending from the internal surface of the face plate, 
 wherein an upper portion of the boundary edge of the first subset of regions of generally constant thickness follows a curve that is offset with respect to the upper peripheral edge of the face plate, the curve substantially equally spaced from the upper peripheral edge along its length, 
 wherein each of the first and second subsets of regions includes a toeward-most region and a heelward-most region, 
 wherein the boundary edge of each toeward-most region includes a toe-facing side, 
 wherein the boundary edge of each heelward-most region includes a heel-facing side, and 
 wherein at least one of the toe-facing side of the boundary edge of each toeward-most region or the heel-facing side of the boundary edge of each heelward-most region is curved concavely when viewed from the toe or the heel toward a plane extending perpendicular to the longitudinal axis at a center of the face plate, respectively. 
 
     
     
       2. The variable thickness face plate of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of regions of generally constant thickness includes a centrally disposed center point,
 wherein the center point of each of the regions of the first subset is disposed on the first generally horizontally-extending path, and 
 wherein the center point of each of the regions of the second subset is disposed on the second generally horizontally-extending path. 
 
     
     
       3. The variable thickness face plate of  claim 2 , wherein a transition region exists between each of the plurality of regions of generally constant thickness, and
 wherein the internal surface of the face plate curves to gradually adjust the thickness of the face plate within the transition region. 
 
     
     
       4. The variable thickness face plate of  claim 3 , wherein, in the transition region, the internal surface of the face plate tangentially extends away from one of the plurality of regions of generally constant thickness, curves toward another of the plurality of regions of generally constant thickness to increase or decrease a thickness of the face plate, and tangentially transitions into the other of the regions of generally constant thickness or the peripheral edge of the face plate. 
     
     
       5. The variable thickness face plate of  claim 4 , wherein the boundary edge includes an upper boundary edge and a lower boundary edge connecting two opposing side boundary edges,
 wherein the toe-facing side and the heel-facing side of the toeward-most region and the heelward-most region comprise one of the two opposing side boundary edges of each toeward-most region and each heelward-most region, respectively, and 
 wherein the boundary edge defines a junction between the respective region of generally constant thickness and the transition region surrounding the region of generally constant thickness. 
 
     
     
       6. The variable thickness face plate of  claim 5 , wherein the boundary edge defines the point at which the internal surface of the face plate tangentially transitions between the transition region and the respective region of generally constant thickness to change the thickness of the face plate. 
     
     
       7. The variable thickness face plate of  claim 6 , wherein the upper boundary edge and the lower boundary edge of each of the regions of the first subset are offset curves of the upper peripheral edge. 
     
     
       8. The variable thickness face plate of  claim 7 , wherein the upper boundary edge of the regions of the first subset are coincident along a first upper generally horizontal path that is an offset curve of the upper peripheral edge, and
 wherein the lower boundary edge of the regions of the first subset are coincident along a second upper generally horizontal path that is an offset curve of the upper peripheral edge. 
 
     
     
       9. The variable thickness face plate of  claim 7 , wherein the upper boundary edge and the lower boundary edge of each of the regions of the second subset are offset curves of the lower peripheral edge. 
     
     
       10. The variable thickness face plate of  claim 9 , wherein the upper boundary edge of the regions of the second subset are coincident along a first lower generally horizontal path that is an offset curve of the lower peripheral edge, and
 wherein the lower boundary edge of the regions of the second subset are coincident along a second lower generally horizontal path that is an offset curve of the lower peripheral edge. 
 
     
     
       11. The variable thickness face plate of  claim 5 , wherein each of the regions of the first subset is aligned with one of the regions of the second subset such that their center points are disposed on a common vertically-extending path. 
     
     
       12. The variable thickness face plate of  claim 11 , wherein the generally vertically-extending path intersects the upper peripheral edge normally, and
 wherein the generally vertically-extending path intersects the lower peripheral edge normally. 
 
     
     
       13. The variable thickness face plate of  claim 12 , wherein each of the generally vertically-extending paths intersects the upper peripheral edge at an upper intersection point, and
 wherein the upper intersection points are equally spaced along the upper peripheral edge. 
 
     
     
       14. The variable thickness face plate of  claim 13 , wherein the two opposing side boundary edges of each of the regions of generally constant thickness are equidistant from the center point of the respective region of generally constant thickness, and
 wherein the two opposing side boundary edge are offset curves of the respective generally vertically-extending path. 
 
     
     
       15. The variable thickness face plate of  claim 14 , wherein the opposing side boundary edges of the aligned regions of the first subset and the second subset are coincident along a generally vertically-oriented path that is a parallel curve of the respective generally vertically-extending path. 
     
     
       16. The variable thickness face plate of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of regions of generally constant thickness further includes:
 a third subset of regions of generally constant thickness being disposed along a third generally horizontally-extending path disposed between the first generally horizontally-extending path and the second generally horizontally-extending path, 
 wherein each of the regions of generally constant thickness of the third subset is aligned with one of the generally vertically-extending paths. 
 
     
     
       17. The variable thickness face plate of  claim 5 , wherein the top is a top line. 
     
     
       18. The variable thickness face plate of  claim 1 , wherein the top is a crown. 
     
     
       19. A variable thickness face plate for a golf club head, the face plate includes a longitudinal axis extending between a toe side and a heel side along a longest length of the face plate, the longitudinal axis dividing the face plate into an upper region and a lower region, the face plate comprising:
 a peripheral edge comprising an upper peripheral edge and a lower peripheral edge, the upper peripheral edge and the lower peripheral edge being separated by the longitudinal axis, wherein the upper peripheral edge is configured to be adjacent a top of the golf club head when the face plate is installed, and wherein the lower peripheral edge is configured to be adjacent a sole of the golf club head when the face plate is installed; and 
 a plurality of pads extending away from an internal surface of the face plate, the plurality of pads being regions of pre-set thickness, the thickness being measured perpendicularly from the internal surface of the face plate, 
 wherein a transition region exists between each of the plurality of pads, the internal surface of the face plate curving to adjust the thickness of the face plate within the transition region so that the pads are smoothly connected by the transition region, and 
 wherein each of the plurality of pads is defined by an enclosed boundary edge comprising an upper boundary edge and a lower boundary edge connecting a toe-facing boundary edge and a heel-facing boundary edge, the enclosed boundary edge defining a junction between the respective pad and the transition region surrounding the pad, 
 wherein the plurality of pads includes a toeward-most pad and a heelward-most pad, 
 wherein at least one of the toe-facing boundary edge of the toeward-most pad or the heel-facing boundary edge of the heelward-most pad is curved concavely when viewed from the toe side or the heel side, respectively, toward a plane extending perpendicular to the longitudinal axis at a center of the face plate, 
 wherein each of the plurality of pads is thicker than a nominal thickness of the face plate that is measured perpendicularly from the internal surface of the face plate at the peripheral edge thereof, and 
 wherein the internal surface defines a concave curve in a plane defined as being parallel to the longitudinal axis and extending in the same direction as the nominal thickness of the face plate, the curve extending in the transition region to an inflection point before transitioning to a convex curve extending from the inflection point to the enclosed boundary edge to define a rounded edge. 
 
     
     
       20. The variable thickness face plate of  claim 19 ,
 wherein the top is a crown, and 
 wherein the plurality of pads includes:
 a first subset of pads being disposed along a first generally horizontally-extending path proximate the upper peripheral edge, the first generally horizontally-extending path being disposed radially inward from and parallel to the upper peripheral edge. 
 
 
     
     
       21. The variable thickness face plate of  claim 20 , wherein the upper boundary edge and the lower boundary edge of each of the regions of the first subset are parallel curves of the upper peripheral edge. 
     
     
       22. The variable thickness face plate of  claim 21 , wherein the plurality of pads further includes:
 a second subset of pads being disposed along a second generally horizontally-extending path proximate the lower peripheral edge, the second generally horizontally-extending path being disposed radially inward from and parallel to the lower peripheral edge, 
 wherein the upper boundary edge and the lower boundary edge of each of the regions of the second subset are offset curves of the lower peripheral edge. 
 
     
     
       23. The variable thickness face plate of  claim 22 , wherein each of the pads of the first subset is aligned with one of the pads of the second subset such that their center points are disposed on a common generally vertically-extending path,
 wherein the generally vertically-extending path intersects the upper peripheral edge and the lower peripheral edge perpendicularly. 
 
     
     
       24. The variable thickness face plate of  claim 23 , wherein the plurality of pads further includes:
 a third subset of pads being disposed along a third generally horizontally-extending path disposed between the first generally horizontally-extending path and the second generally horizontally-extending path, 
 wherein each of the pads of the third subset is aligned with one of the generally vertically-extending paths. 
 
     
     
       25. The variable thickness face plate of  claim 19 ,
 wherein the top is a top line, and 
 wherein the plurality of pads includes:
 a first subset of pads being disposed along a first generally horizontally-extending path proximate the upper peripheral edge, the first generally horizontally-extending path being disposed radially inward from and parallel to the upper peripheral edge.